The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-05-21

A bullet passed through a mans skull
and into the brain cavity; Tor days No
lived, walked about and waited largely
upon himself He seemed dazed however
from the first ana after awhile became
stupid, helpless and died. Some that were
brought in were so severely injured that
there was no hope Of doing any thing Tor
their recovery; such cases If there seemed
to be much suffering were made as COM
Portable as possible and laid upon the
ground and the attention Of the surgeons
given to those whose injuries were likely
TO receive benefit. One poor fellow was
shot somewhere in the base Of tho brain
and when taken out of the ambulance one
SIDE of his face was in convulsions.
His case was deemed hopeless, and he
was placed upon the ground. All night
and till noon next day the commissions con-
tinued; one eye was in constant mouon
and the muscles OF the same side OF the
face jerliel AMI twitched in horrible con-
tortions. But at last death came to his re.
lief.
All were kept busy till awayin the night
caring for the wounded. Blankets were
spread upon the ground under the trees
and upon these, side by side, the injured
ones were laid Towards morning others
of the wounded were brought in that could
not be reached till nighttall protected the
rescuing parties from the bullets OF the
enemy.
The next day, May %, was occupied in
perfecting the care OF the injured. Many
operations we're of too delicate character
TO be performed after night; these were
made tho morning following. Sometimes
in the army, however, very delicate opera
f,,np tt,yy nrfn rypa
night In the medical supplies were little
wax candles that gave pretty light, free
from smoke and without much dripping, as
from tallow candles. When working after
night number of these were lighted and
neld for the convenience Of the operator.
The night after the battle Of Champions
Hill the writer remembers coming upon
some surgeons who were amputating atthe
shoulder Joint the arm Of poor fellow
who had been wounded near the shoulder.
Just as he came up the surgeons were
turning the bone out Of it's socket and ad-
iusting the flaps. This operation IN the
army was considered very critical one
and was not often performed, when other
means would avail.
At tho front the lines were advanced as
near CO possible to the enemy's works, and
mt night tho spade was used freely,
thun making riE..p pits TO secure protection
from tho cnomy's bullets. The casualties
verc comparatively few the goth and slst
Of May, yot throughout both these days
wounded mon wero from time to time
brought IN from the front.
Meantime preparations for the care OF
the wounded were made on much more
extended scale. When the trees in the
yard failed to give shelter from sunshine
by day and dew at night, limbs heavily
laden with leaves, cut from the timber
near by were laid upon poles that rested
upon others set in the ground. While en-
gagged in this work cannon ball came
whizzing through the air and buried itself
in the ground in the center Of the yard.
One of the men, curious to see what
character OF missile 1t was, got a shovel and
excavated the ball. 1t proved to be con.
zeal steel ball about two and one-half inch
es through and seven or eight inches long.
Meanwhile full rations were now re-
ceved for all, from a base Of supplies es.
tablished on the Yazoo river, upon Sher-
mans right; from this point wagon road
in the rear Of the army was made, and
over this were conveyed supplies OF al